HSE boss reiterates apology to ‘Grace’ for neglect in foster care

The chief executive of the HSE has reiterated an apology to a disabled woman who experienced neglect and a lack of oversight of her foster care.

The Farrelly Commission was set up in 2017 to examine the case of a woman, given the pseudonym Grace, who has been in the care of the State all her life.

It came after allegations of sexual abuse were raised against her foster father relating to another person who had lived with the family, and the length of time it took to remove Grace from the home thereafter.

The Commission ultimately found Grace had been neglected and that there was a lack of oversight for her care.

However, it said it was not satisfied the evidence established she had been subjected to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.

The Commission also examined whether further investigation should be carried out into the care of the 47 people who had lived with the foster family in question.

Politicians have expressed shock at the findings of the “utterly anaemic” 2,000-page report, which took eight years and is expected to cost a total of 20 million euro.

The report has been criticised by opposition politicians and some Government backbenchers.

On Tuesday, HSE chief Bernard Gloster said: “My predecessors did apologise to Grace. There can be no question but today that we would sincerely restate that apology to Grace, to her mum, and indeed to the 47 who were comprehended by the various inquiries into this family.”

Mr Gloster acknowledged there was a “lot of anxiety and concern” about a perception of an absence of findings in some areas, but said the HSE had provided all the information it had.

Asked about allegations the HSE took a heavily adversarial approach to the Commission, Mr Gloster said it was not something that has been raised to him since taking the job in 2023.

He said he was assured the HSE had an expectation people conduct themselves well and that he had no doubt people were treated fairly by the Commission.

Pressed on whether the HSE had refused to provide documents, he added: “I’m aware of one difficulty that the chair of the Commission expressed about the availability of some documents, and the HSE team met with the chair well early back in the inquiry, and I think she accepted the bona fides of the position – and all of the documents that could be produced, were.”

Speaking to RTE, Mr Gloster said every report into the Grace case has found “shortcomings” and a “lack of clarity” on decisions made in her care.

Asked if there were no files on HSE communication on why Grace had stayed in the home after a decision was made not to send any other children there, he said: “I would expect that there were, and I would expect that there were some, and whatever was there should have been made available.

“My understanding is everything that was available was made available to the Commission.”

A settlement of 6.3 million euro was previously paid by the HSE towards Grace following a High Court ruling into the matter.

Asked why the sum was paid if there was no sexual, physical or emotional abuse, Mr Gloster said the settlement was managed by the State Claims Agency and accounts for her future care.

“There was no need to wait for the Commission to know she was neglected,” he said. “We published reports in 2017 that said that.”

He said he agreed with the judge in the case that her treatment was a scandal.

Asked if this was an acknowledgement that she had been sexually abused, he said: “I can’t say that based on the evidence of what the Commission found.

“What I can say is this – and if you allow me just a moment to say it – there was a finding of significant neglect and lack of oversight.

“When you combine those two factors, it is more likely the case that we will never know the full life experience of Grace.

“We have to accept that in many different ways she was wronged and harmed – but I can’t be specific beyond that.

“But what I can be specific about is her care was bad. Her care was wrong and the failure to oversee it was wrong.”

Speaking to Newstalk, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he felt “extreme sadness” and “anger” that Grace had experienced an absence of fundamental care by the State.

He said the process was “simply far too long”, adding: “We do need to reflect on this, because this is not the only inquiry that goes on for an undue length of time and costs an enormous amount of money.”

Asked about the lack of findings of physical or emotional abuse, Mr Martin said: “Far more serious allegations had been made, which gave rise to the Commission being established, they have not been upheld – so to speak – or the language is that ‘no evidence has been found’, so that – for all concerned – has to be deeply unsatisfactory.”

He said uncertainty on the provenance of Grace’s injuries was “ultimately unsatisfactory”, but added the Government accepts the findings of the report.

The foster parents at the centre of the report died prior to its publication.